A Dance of Swords
by CelestialRyuuHime
Summary: Wielders of light bore the Keyblade as a weapon. Only the wielders who were truly pure of heart could unlock their weapon's full power. Sora was able to find out what, or who, this mysterious power was. Little did he know the lengths she would go to in order to keep him safe, and the lengths she would go to in order to keep her heart safe from him.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts.

A Dance of Swords

Chapter One

A girl sat quietly on a grassy hill, the grass an itchy relief under her. Her eyes were closed and her face was tilted up to catch the last rays of the setting sun. Her breath was slow and calm, a complete opposite to her pounding heart.

"Are you okay, Michiru?" a voice startled the girl from her thoughts. She jumped, opening her liquid silver eyes. A few strands of auburn hair escaped the single braid that hung down her back.

"Oh," she breathed, placing a hand over her heart, as if it would slow the rapid pace. "Saiki, you scared me." a boy with matching liquid silver eyes stared back at her, a concerned from spreading across his thin, almost delicate lips.

"Are you okay?" Saiki repeated his question. Michiru bit her bottom lip, shaking her head. Saiki shook his pale blond bangs from his face.

"I can't help but feel that everything is going to change," she paused, afraid of offending the boy. "I fell like one of us is going to change. And not in the way we want."

Saiki stroked one of the pearly white wings hovering over Michiru's back, his own ebony colored ones relaxing.

"Of course things are going to change," he replied with a slight smile. "Tonight is our Binding Ceremony, and our Companions will be chosen." Michiru was silent once more. She and Saiki were born to a long line of Guardians, winged people who upheld the peace in the different worlds. They didn't know much about the other worlds out there, only that there were so many they matched the stars in the sky. She used to pretend that each star was a world, but her teacher had laughed at the idea.

Tonight was their Binding Ceremony, a ceremony that bound their souls to a weapon used by their Companions. No one knew who their Companions were - it was the Light that chose. Nobody knew where the Light came from, either. All they knew that there was a part of it in everyone, and if it was extinguished bad things started to happen.

"What if our paths never meet again after the ceremony? There are so many worlds - so many Companions that need Guardians-" she was cut off by a finger on her lips.

"Why don't we let the Great Lord handle that? We will meet again if it is His will," he wrapped an arm around the smaller girl's shoulders. They turned, hearing voices calling their names. It was time for the preparations to begin.

Exactly one hour later, both Michiru and Saiki were dressed. The dress Michiru wore was sleeveless, and the collar of the deep ruby material stretched far up her neck. An onyx button kept the stiff collar in place. A black ribbon was tied directly under her bust; the ends of the ribbon fell to the middle of her calves. A black ruffled skirt fell to just past her knees, and a royal blue mesh overskirt fell slightly over that. She wore thin, black mid-calf high shoes, and there was a black ribbon tied around each wrist.

Saiki wore an outfit that complimented hers. His deep ruby shirt was also high collared, but the stiff neck was held closed by a button made of pearl. His black pants were tucked into thin, metal colored boots, and he wore a sleeveless overcoat of royal blue.

The two turned to each other as they came to stand in front of a large ornate door with an onyx key etched on it. It was crossed with a silver key. A pair of wings were either side, and a simple black and red crown floated on top of it.

"Do you accept your responsibilities of Guardians, and, as such, the responsibilities to protect your Companions with your lives?" a soft, powerful voice asked. The voice came from nowhere and everywhere at once, and Michiru knew at once that it was the voice of the Light. Both Michiru and Saiki nodded, not daring to speak.

"Then, step into the light and be reborn," Saiki stepped forward and the hulking set of doors opened. A powerful, gentle light bathed those who had come to see them off. Saiki flashed Michiru one last smile, and then he was gone. Michiru was hesitant at first, but then stepped into the light from the doors. She felt a tugging at her midsection, but she could not see what was around her. The light took over her senses, and she knew no more.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

"I've been having these weird thoughts lately," a voice said softly, almost not wanting to utter the words in the darkness.

"Like, is any of this for real…or not?"

The words echoed, bouncing back and forth in the endless void. The oppressive darkness gradually made way for the Light as a boy with fluffy brown hair opened his startling blue eyes. He had never been here, in the darkness, before. But, it somehow seemed familiar - like he had seen it somewhere in one of his dreams. The boy was wearing red shorts with a red shirt to match. A cropped black jacket was over it, and it had white sleeves and a hood. White fingerless gloves were on his hands, shimmering with a small pendant sewn into each of them. Yellow and black shoes were on his feet, and he wore a belt of blue around his waist. Hanging from his neck was a silver chain with a silver crown pendant on it.

He looked around in curiosity, and, before he could take a step, a bright white light appeared in the middle of the platform he was standing on. He couldn't tell how tall the platform was. He couldn't see the bottom. He could only see the blackness swelling around on all sides of him. As the bright light cleared, he could see that a girl, no older than he was, floating towards the ground. Her eyes were closed, but in her sleep he could tell that she was pretty. She didn't stir in her descent. Her auburn hair floated behind her in a single braid, and her bangs floated up in front of her, defying gravity.

The boy thought it was strange that two pairs of pearly white wings were stretched out behind her, but, then again, he had no idea where he was. If he was dreaming, this could very well be plausible.

He ran forward to catch the girl. He didn't want her to fall on the hard platform, if the gravity decided it was going to come back in full force. None of the girls he knew on Destiny Island looked like this, so he took his time to stare. She was unique in his opinion. When his hands made contact with her back, beneath her wings, a small blush spread across his cheeks. Her weightlessness ceased to exist, but, instead of falling to the ground, she seemed to levitate. A thin white light grew around her, outlining her frame.

"Michiru is her name," a soft, powerful voice echoed through the air. The boy looked up, expecting to see someone standing in front of him, but he saw nothing.

"She is your Guardian. Do you accept her services?" the voice asked, becoming sharp. It was still gentle, but it was like the voice was worried about what was to come. The boy nodded his head.

"Then, say it."

"I accept Michiru as my Guardian," the boy's voice was soft, but seemed to echo. The light grew brighter around her, and she opened her eyes. The boy gasped lightly, losing himself in the silvery depths. She flared her wings, opening them wide and righting herself. She still hovered in the air.

"Repeat after me," the voice demanded. The boy and Michru did.

"We accept the roles as Guardian and Companion. We strive to protect the Light, serve the Light, and defeat the Darkness and Shadows," as they spoke, the light around Michiru grew to an almost unbearable level.

"Once we were two, but now we are one. We were, we are, we will be one. Until the end! Forever more!" and a great flash of light blinded both of them. Michiru felt something depart from herself, and then, she suddenly felt whole again. Her eyes shone brighter, and her hand sought out the boy's. She didn't know who he was, but she knew he was important. All he had to do now was accept his weapon of choice, and her soul would attach to it. Then, she would spend her life protecting him. The light died down, and the two of them stared at each other, not knowing what to do next. The boy held out his hand for hers, but Michiru was hesitant to take it. She didn't know why, but she had suddenly been attacked with a bout of shyness.

"So much to do, so little time," the voice of the Light spoke. Michiru could only assume it was the Light. It was the same voice that had spoken to her before she stepped through the door. "Take your time. Don't be afraid. The door is still shut. Now, step forward. Can you do it?" the Light asked, a tinge of worry in its voice. Michiru nodded, slightly weak in the knees. She took a wobbly step forward, wings flaring out slightly to help with her balance. She felt apprehensive about this place. She didn't like that she couldn't see anything except for the pillar she and her Companion were standing on. They walked to the center of the platform.

A trapezoid of shining stone pillars jutted from in front of them, shaking the platform. She and the boy thought they were going to fall, but the glass steadied under their feet. One of the pillars held a floating sword. Another held a floating staff. The last was home to a floating shield. The boy motioned for her to go first, but she shook her head. She held out her hand, almost reflexively, and gasped as a long black rod with a floating silver orb at the tip appeared in her grasp. Pieces of metal jutted out of the end where the light was, only to twine together to form a cage for it. Two wings flared out on either side of the cage, and a small crown had been etched into the metal, right above a leather grip sat for her hand. The boy whistled and Michiru flushed, proud of her staff.

"If you give it form, it will give you strength. Choose well," the Light prodded. Looking back at Michiru, the boy came to a decision. He turned to face the three weapons, and chose the shield. Michiru was surprised. She had thought that the boy knew she was his shield. Perhaps he was not schooled in the history of the Guardians?

"The power of the Guardian. Kindness to aid friends. A shield to repel all. Is this the power you seek?" the Light asked him, a sharp edge to it. Michiru had a feeling that once the boy made his final decision, there was no going back. The boy nodded his head yes.

"Your path is set," the Light said as the shield disappeared. Michiru came to stand next to the one who called her soul to him. "Now, what will you give up in exchange?" The boy frowned and looked between the sword and the small staff. He glanced at the staff still in Michiru's grasp and decided quickly. He chose the sword. Michiru furrowed her eyebrows. So far, she didn't even know his name let alone understand how her Companion thought.

"The power of the Warrior. Invincible courage. A sword of terrible destruction. You give up this power?" the boy nodded.

"You've chosen the power of the Guardian. You've given up the power of the Warrior. Is this the form you choose?" the Light wanted to confirm. The boy nodded once again, and, as he did so, the trapezoid of stones vanished. The floor shattered, and Michiru and the boy fell through the shattered pieces.

Her wings spread wide and she floated down towards the next platform, beating away the razor sharp shards. She grabbed the boy's outstretched hand, and both of them landed on a platform with a portrait of a blond woman with a beautiful blue and white dress. She spun her staff while another shield appeared on the boy's arm.

"You've gained the power to fight," the Light said as he swung the shield. The boy attacked the air, secretly eying Michiru out of the corner of his eye. He didn't know what to think about her, but, for now, they had no choice but to stick together if they wanted to make it out of the dark place.

"Alright! You've got it. Use this power to protect yourself and others. Guardian, protect the one who bears the key," Michiru had no idea who the one with the key was. How was she supposed to find out? Suddenly, shadows appeared on the ground, forming solid, inky creatures.

"There will be times where you will have to fight. Depend on your Guardian and keep your light burning strong," the Light was addressing the boy. He fought off the group of shadows while Michiru hovered above him, making sure that he was safe from anything behind him. When the last one was dealt with, more appeared. Michiru was about to call out to the boy, but the Light was quicker.

"Behind you!" it warned. Together, the two fought and defeated the shadows. Michiru landed next to the boy, and a dark void opened where she had landed. She gasped, surprised by the cold. When she thought she was going to suffocate, they found themselves standing on another glass floor. This time, it was bright with many colors. There was a simple silvery-blue door standing in front of them. The boy approached the door, but his hand passed through it.

She was by his side in an instant, wings arched. She pointed to a treasure chest that had appeared close to where they were standing. He smiled his thanks and opened it. Then, a large crate appeared. They looked at each other before shrugging. They hadn't really been hurt so far, had they? He smashed the barrel, and a small click came from the door, which had now become solid. He tried the door again, and, this time, it opened. On the other side there were three people waiting for them. Michiru didn't know them, but the boy seemed to recognize them.

"Hold on. The door won't open just yet. First, tell me more about yourselves," the Light wanted to know. Michiru know that the Light was omniscient, so it probably just wanted to make them open up to each other.

First, they approached a small boy with spiked blond hair. He was short, holding a red pole that he used to slash at the air.

"What are you most afraid of?" the boy asked them, face serious.

"Getting old," the brunette replied. It was the first time Michiru had really heard his voice, other than the Binding Ceremony, and she decided that she liked it. It wasn't too deep, given that he was still very young, and soft. It was full of all sorts of emotions, and a hint of protectiveness. She wondered why he was afraid of getting old. They both turned to her.

"Well," she began. "I'm afraid of letting the Light down by not protecting the one with the key, whatever that means."

The boy decided he liked her voice as well. It was soft, like his, but it held a power he had never heard before. It was like she was weaving something into the air by speaking, and he had a feeling it had to do with whatever magic she used.

They went to the next person - an older boy with slicked back red hair. Michiru saw him toss a Blitzball up in the air and around his neck like it was no big deal.

"What do you want to see?" he asked, looking down at them with a wide grin.

"I want to see rare sights!" the boy declared.

"I want… to be useful," she admitted. Her entire life she had wanted to feel that way, sometimes feeling like she wouldn't amount to anything. Saiki had often swayed those feelings, but he wasn't here. She had to rely upon herself.

Lastly, they went to a girl in a yellow dress. She had a jump robe coiled at her feet.

"What is most important to you?" she questioned, eyes boring into the two of them.

"Being number one," the boy cheerfully announced. Michiru sighed. Perhaps she had misjudged him. His cheerful attitude was great, but only caring about being number one was not.

"I care about the safety of the one who holds the key," she carefully said. The boy turned to her, eyes studying her as she looked away.

"You're afraid of getting old and letting the Light down. You want to see rare sights and to be useful. You want to be number one and the safety of the key-bearer is most important to you," the Light recited. "Your adventure begins at dawn. As long as you rely on each other and the sun is shining, your journey should be a pleasant one." the two teenagers smiled at this news.

Everything seemed like it was going to be okay, but the two were suddenly swept onto another platform. This time, it held a picture of a woman in a pink dress. A ray of light beamed down from the darkness, and the two headed for it. Shadows appeared out of nowhere, and they were forced to fight their way to the warm circle. They rested comfortably for several moments, feeling their strength returning. She smiled to herself, eventually plucking one of her feathers. She gave it to the boy and he smiled, putting it in his pants pocket. Once their strength returned, they ascended the stairs that had appeared.

"The closer you get to the light, the greater your shadow becomes," the Light warned. As he said this, the boy's shadow turned into a might shadow-beast. It towered over the two of them, and Michiru could see that a heart shaped hole was carved into the monster's midsection. As the shadow's arm came down next to the boy, Michiru propelled herself forward, knocking him out of the way. The boy used his shield to whack at the shadow's arm and, eventually, head. She pushed him out of the way when he was busy dodging the strange purple orbs the shadow had summoned, and was then plucked into the shadow's massive hand. The shadow squeezed, and she screamed. Her wings creaked dangerously, threatening to break in its mighty grasp.

"But, don't be afraid. You hold the mightiest weapon of all," the Light said. The boy cried out for Michiru, but there was nothing he could do to help her. He charged forward despite this, but he was engulfed in a circle of black shadows. They drew him deeper as he heard Michiru scream.

"So don't forget: you are the one who will open the door, and Michiru will be the one to protect you."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

The waves gently rolled against the shore of the island. The sky was bright blue, a contrast to the gentle royal blue of her home world. Michiru enjoyed the salty air, and the sounds of both the water and the gulls flying above. She sat on the sand, beside the boy who had been in that place of darkness.

Michiru had already tried to wake him from his sleep, doing everything she could think of except physically touching him. She didn't have a phobia of touching people per se, it was just that she didn't like touching people if she didn't have to. Her wings were tucked neatly against her back, feathers ruffling in the light breeze.

The sound of footsteps caught her attention. Michiru turned, glad to see someone other than herself and the boy. Now, perhaps, she could finally learn his name.

"Hey," she said, waving her hand, but the girl walked past her without sparing a glance. Michiru frowned. That was quite rude of the girl to do so. The girl had vibrant red hair, but it was brighter than Michiru's. She was wearing a black cropped shirt with a white tank top over it. The white shirt had purple accents to make it more feminine. Tight purple short shorts were on her legs and a purple skirt of the same color covered the shorts. White and purple shoes were on her feet, and she wore a purple belt, a black choker, a longer necklace with a circular pendant, a purple bracelet was on her upper arm, and several bracelets. The girl was very pretty.

The boy stirred, seeing the girl's face hovering over his. He shouted in surprise and Michiru had to laugh at his expression.

"Hello?" Michiru tried to say again, but she noticed her voice seemed distorted. It echoed, almost as if it were only partly there. She held up a hand, holding it towards the light. She gasped lightly, eyes widening when she realized her skin was partly translucent. She had no idea what was going on, but how could she find out if nobody could see or hear her? She reached out to the boy, hand passing through his shoulder. She recoiled. What was going on?

Finally, after several minutes of trying to decide what to do, Michiru opened her wings. With one great beat, she propelled herself into the air. For now, she supposed, she would observe.

"Whoa!" the boy exclaimed. He forced himself into a sitting position. His friend giggled into her hand, trying to hide her amusement.

"Give me a break, Kairi," he sighed. His friend had scared him.

"Sora, you lazy bum," she scoffed, "I knew that I'd find you snoozing down here."

Michiru half-smiled. So, Sora was the name of the boy. It fit, in a way. His eyes were as blue as the sky he was named after. It was a few minutes before Sora responded. His eyes grew wide and he flipped himself over to his knees.

"No!" he exclaimed. "This huge black thing swallowed me up!" he waved a hand. Michiru remembered. She remembered the creature grabbing her and squeezing. It felt like her wings were going to break under the pressure, but, suddenly, she had found herself on the island.

"I couldn't breathe, I couldn't- Ow!" he was interrupted as Kairi smacked him on the head.

"Are you still dreaming?" she questioned him. Her eyebrows were furrowed in mock disbelief. Michiru couldn't tell if she were making fun of Sora, or if he were prone to make up stories. He seemed light hearted, but looks could be deceiving. Though, she had been there. It wasn't a lie, and that in itself ruffled Michiru's feathers.

"It wasn't a dream!" Sora protested harshly. He glared at the ground before relaxing. "Or was it? I don't know." he sighed.

"What was that place?" he said more to himself. "So bizarre…" he trailed off for a split second before picking up again. Sora remembered that he was not alone. There had been a girl with him. He had not learned much about her except for the questions she had answered. She seemed to be the type of girl who had a sole purpose in life, and, if he met her again, he was determined to show her that there was more to life than this 'Key Wielder' she was supposed to protect.

"There was a girl with me. She had wings, and her name was Michiru," he quietly said. He remembered the look on her face when she had been grabbed by the black shadow. He didn't like it. He wished he knew what happened to her. That dream was too real to have been something from his imagination.

"Yeah, sure," Kairi dismissed him with a wave of her hand. Sora frowned, but changed the topic.

"Say, Kairi. What was your hometown like?" he asked, looking up at her. "You know, where you grew up." Kairi looked down at him before turning away.

"I've told you before," she began, "I don't remember."

"Nothing at all?" Sora pressed. He was wondering if Michiru came from another world. Nobody where he came from had wings.

"Nothing," she confirmed, expression shifting. Emotions swirled in her eyes, but she turned away before he could determine what they were.

"You ever want to go back?" Sora asked eagerly. Michiru watched the conversation with interest. This was the second world she had been to. She wanted to hear more about the ones out there, even if this was the one she would live the rest of her life on.

"Well," Kairi started, "I'm happy here." she replied instead of finishing her thought. Michiru thought she wasn't very convincing, but sighed instead of saying anything.

"Really," Sora drawled, believing that his friend was just putting up a front. Kairi was silent for a while before she started to talk again.

"But, you know, I wouldn't mind going to see it," she admitted before smiling. Michiru stared at the girl, a frown marring her face. She never really had a permanent home. She and Saiki lived at the Guardian Camp where they were trained in servitude. In esssence, she was a humanoid manifestation of Sora's weapon, and she didn't even know what that was. It could be that he didn't have one. That could be why she wasn't truly there.

"I'd like to see it, too," Sora said, looking out to the sea. "Along with any other worlds out there. I want to see them all!" he exclaimed. Michiru laughed, nodding along with him. Her wings tired, and she lowered herself back to the ground.

"So, what are we waiting for?" Kairi asked with an excited smile. Michiru turned to look at her. What did she mean? Suddenly, the voice of an older boy interrupted Sora and Kairi's conversation.

"Hey," he said, walking up to the three, "Aren't you guys forgetting about me?" the newcomer questioned. Michiru hid a small blush. She decided he was good looking, but looks weren't everything. She had learned that while in the Guardian Camp. She had a feeling that this new boy was close to the other two. The three seemed like they were in a tight-knit friendship.

The new boy was taller than Sora, but Michiru decided he wasn't that much taller. He had long, silvery hair and beautiful sea-green eyes. He wore a tight yellow shirt with black accents. Black straps crossed in the front, and he wore dark blue pants. There were blue-violet over pants with black buckles on the bottom. He also wore blue and white shoes, a black wrist band, and tight black gloves.

"So," he sighed dramatically, "I guess I'm the only one working on the raft," he tossed the log he had been holding. Michiru laughed, not knowing that as Sora caught the log, falling backwards as he did, he heard the faint sound of her laughter in the wind.

"And you're just as lazy as he is," Riku exclaimed, pointing a finger at Kairi.

"So, you noticed," Kairi giggled. "Okay, we'll finish it together. I'll race you!"

"Huh?" Sora was still distracted by the faint, fading, sound of Michiru's laughter. Apparently, he had been the only one to hear it.

"What? Are you kidding?" Riku asked tiredly. He had been the only one working, but he was always willing to participate in a race. He had a friendly reputation to maintain.

"Ready?" Kairi shouted. "Go!" and with that both of the boys took off. Michiru watched as they ran, feeling a sadness strain her heart. She wished she could interact with her. She had never felt this kind of loneliness before.

"So," Kairi started as they reached the other side of a bridge. The bridge separated the main part of the island to another, smaller yet taller, island.

"Can you find the rest of the supplies?" she asked Sora. The brunette boy wasn't listening to her. He felt something warm up in his pocket. He slipped his hand inside his pocket, shocked when he pulled out a thin, soft, warm feather from his pocket. He looked around, thinking he had maybe picked up a seagull feather, but, deep in his heart, he knew it was one of Michiru's feathers. The question was: how did it get into his pocket?

"Sora, are you listening to me?" Kairi asked, wondering what Sora had been thinking.

"Yeah, I heard you," Sora replied, slowly replacing the feather back into his pocket. Michiru sighed, looking down on the other two from the bridge. Sora looked around, having picked up the sound of the sigh from the wind. He didn't see anyone else besides Kairi, but he knew for a fact that she wasn't the one who sighed.

"Okay," she said. "Here's what you need to find: two logs, one cloth, and one rope," she paused to let the information sink in. "Bring everything back here. If you need help, just ask. I'm counting on you." Kairi said, waving and giving Sora a bright smile. Michiru was puzzled. Why wasn't Kairi looking for anything. She had been watching the two for a while, and it looked like Kairi was giving Sora all the work. Then again, it was possible that Kairi had done her fair share of the work before Michiru had shown up on the island.

Sora looked around the logs first, spotting one a few feet from where he was standing. He knew well enough that wet wood didn't burn well, but where was he supposed to find dry wood on an island surrounded by the ocean? He didn't want to chop down trees just for that. Michiru wondered how she could help him. She had noticed a second log on the island that was connected by the bridge she had been standing on. She beat her wings and ascended over the small island. She landed and knelt over the log, intending to pick it up, but her hand went through it. It was like her body didn't exist on this plane, or it was only halfway formed. She thought hard about what to do, and, suddenly, an idea began to form.

She took to the sky once again, rising high enough so that she was hovering over Sora's head. She sucked in a breath and plucked a feather, wincing from the sting. She sighed; she couldn't keep plucking feathers out every time she needed to talk to Sora or her wings would easily become infected. She waited until the breeze stopped. Then, she let go of the feather. The transparent feather turned solid and tangible as soon as it left her fingertips. It floated down, landing on Sora's head. He snatched the warm feather from his head and looked up to see another falling from the sky - where the bridge was. He jumped, narrowly missing the feather and losing it to the wind. Then, he made his way through a small shack built below the bridge. When he made it to the bridge, he was unaware that Michiru was standing in front of him. He, instead, saw the other log. As he slowly walked to it he looked around, wondering where she was.

"Thanks, Michiru," he whispered, hoping that she could hear him. Michiru looked around, wondering if she could help him find the other objects he needed. She shot high in the air, flying higher than she had before. She circled around the island, appreciating the beautiful view of the water on the sand. She had only seen one ocean before in her life, and it was nothing like this. The water wasn't clear. Instead, it was a dark, murky brownish-blue. This was breathtaking. Finally, she spotted a pile of coiled rope. Sora could probably bring that to Kairi. She hovered over the rope, calling Sora's name. She hoped he could hear her this time.

Sora heard his name, but it was soft. It was kind of like his name was travelling over the wind instead of being spoken by a person. He shook his head. That couldn't be possible, could it? he heard his name again, this time following where the wind took him. Another warm feather fell from the sky and he looked up, climbing the ladder as he hoped to find the source of the feathers. Instead of finding the source, he found a boy practicing with a short staff. He had known the boy for years, and knew his name was Tidus. He and Tidus weren't exactly friends, but they had common interests. They were amiable towards each other, practicing every now and then in a practice fight. Sora found the rope coiled in a pile next to Tidus, picking it up and stashing it around his arm.

Now, all he had left to find was the cloth. There was only one place left to look - a small tree house across from the deck he was standing from. He stopped where the ladder he climbed met the platform, looking around. He was disappointed in the fact that there wasn't another feather. Suddenly, a feather came floating from the tree house, dancing on the falling wind. He jumped, catching the feather, and landing on a platform across from him. He climbed two short ladders, but his hope was crushed when he realized he was alone in the tree house. The cloth was hanging on the wall, but where were the feathers coming from?

Sora grabbed the cloth and jumped to the ground. He slowly walked over to Kairi with the things in his arms.

"Thanks, Sora," she said. "I found something today, too. Here; it's yours," she continued with a smile. She handed over a small brightly colored vial. Michiru recognized it as a Hi-Potion, a powerful healing potion. Kairi gave it to Sora and he smiled tiredly back at her.

"Tired?" Kairi asked. "Want to call it a day?"

Sora nodded.

"Yeah, let's go home," he said. He looked up in the wind, a frown creasing his face. He was waiting for another feather, but it never came. Michiru was done plucking feathers for the day. Her wings smarted, and she was tired.

"Okay," she said. "It's getting late. We'll finish up tomorrow," and with that the two of them headed towards the small rowboats docked at the small pier. Michiru started to follow, but a sudden dizziness stopped her. She looked down, surprised and mildly panicked to see she was disappearing again. Everything started to blur together, forming a huge mass of color, before sharpening into another picture.

Michiru looked around, surprised to see herself in a bedroom. To the left, she saw Sora. He was sleeping soundly in his bed. Michiru frowned. How much time had passed? She shook her head, biting her lip. She sighed, letting it go - for now. She padded over to Sora's bed, sitting down next to it.

"Don't worry, Sora." she whispered. "I'll take care of you. I'll protect you, even if it means my life. I meant my promise."


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note: I apologize profusely for not updating. My silly brain actually forgot I had published it! I had thought I was going to wait until I had the first few chapters done. I'm so sorry, everyone. Please, enjoy.

* * *

Michiru sighed as she looked out the window once again. She was bored. She couldn't sleep, and she couldn't do anything to pass the time. It wasn't that she hadn't tried to sleep. She just found that, as of the moment, she was incapable of sleeping. Michiru had forgotten that she couldn't touch anything. There was one painstaking moment that she bent down to inspect one of Sora's pictures. She reached out a hand for the picture, only to jump when her hand passed through the glass and wood frame.

The girl brought one of her wings to curl around her, weaving her fingers into the soft mass. At least her feathers had already grown back. She didn't want them to become infected. They had grown back fast, but she wasn't going to question it. Infected feather follicles hurt quite a bit. Michiru looked down at the sleeping boy and a small smile stretched across her face. Sora looked peaceful when he was sleeping. He looked much calmer when slumber took him. Without thinking, she reached out to brush a stray hair away from his eyes. To her surprise, instead of passing through him, her hand came felt the warmth of his body. She froze, feeling faint. This was different than the other times Michiru had tried to touch him. She didn't understand. The room swam in front of her, like before, but this time, she didn't black out. Instead, a projection shot across the room, replaying what had happened earlier that day.

Michiru took her hand from Sora's forehead, retreating from the bed. She sat down against the wall, and tucked her legs under the skirt of her dress. Her wings were folded tightly, and her arms were delicately placed in her lap. She might as well watch the movie. It would help pass the time.

The movie started, and Sora and his two friends, Riku and Kairi, appeared, sitting on a tree that overlooked the ocean. Michiru sat on the ground beside them, looking up at the three friends. It was weird seeing herself, but Michiru just watched in fascination. Riku hopped down, opting to lean against the tree.

"So, Kairi's home is out there somewhere, right?" Sora asked, breaking the comfortable silence around them.

"Could be," Riku responded after a moment. His silvery hair glinted in the light of the setting sun. "We'll never know by staying here." Michiru wondered why it was so important that the three of them find Kairi's home. It couldn't possibly be that far over the ocean, but, then again, there were whole other worlds to be discovered.

"But, how far could a raft take us?" Sora asked again, looking towards his older friend.

"Who knows?" Riku said. "If we have to, we'll think of something else." It was then that Kairi inserted her opinion on the matter.

"So, suppose you get to another world - what would you do there?" she asked the boys. Riku shrugged, turning to look out at the glittering sea. Kairi had answered Michiru's question. They were looking for other worlds. Riku snapped her out of her thoughts.

"Well, I haven't really thought about it," he said, "It's just… I've always wondered why we're here on this island. If there are any other world's out there, why did we end up on this one?" he paused. "And suppose there are other worlds," he trailed off again as he tried to find the right words to say, "then ours is just a little piece of something much greater. So we could have just as easily ended up somewhere else, right?" he finished, still looking out towards the sea. Sora and Kairi couldn't see the wonder hidden in Riku's eyes, but Michiru could. It made her a little uneasy. It was almost as if he would do anything to get off this island. Sometimes, such ambition is not always a good thing.

Sora shrugged and went to lie down on the branch of the oddly shaped tree. "I don't know," he said.

"That's why we need to go out there and find out," Riku said, voice filling with passion. "Just sitting here won't change a thing. It's the same old stuff. So, let's go," he continued, voice filling with more emotion by the second. It seemed like this was something he had been striving to do for a long while.

"You've been thinking a lot lately, haven't you?" Kairi asked quietly as she looked over to her friend. Riku turned to look at her, and his lips gave the barest of twitches.

"Thanks to you," he said, voice grateful. "If you hadn't come here, I probably would've never thought of any of this," he softly said, staring up into her eyes. "Kairi," he said, enjoying her attention, "thank you."

"You're welcome," Kari flirted back, giggling as she swung her feet. The projection faded and Michiru blinked rapidly. A sense of loneliness ate away at her. She wished she was back home, with the others - her friends. She didn't know if she would ever see them again, but there was no turning back.

"I wish I could talk to you," Michiru heard Sora say. She jumped, whirling towards him to see that he was awake. He was staring at a feather in his hand - one of hers. When had she lost another one? Had he actually _kept_ one of her feathers? Sora's voice was sad, and he spoke softly. It was a sharp contrast to his usually cheery façade.

"I wish I could talk to you," he said. She frowned, not liking the sad look in his eyes. She plucked another feather, this time from the most sensitive part of her wing. It was larger than the other feathers, almost like the eagle feathers people would decorate their hair with. She blew at the feather and let it go at the same time. As she did, it became tangible. It flew quickly toward the open window, making Sora gasp. He lunged for the feather before it flew through the window. He cradled the feather against his chest. Michiru was confused. Why were her feathers so important?

"I wish I could actually see you. I know you from somewhere, but I _know_ you aren't just from my dreams. You've gotta be real," he whispered, leaning back against his pillows. He cradled the feather gently in his fingers.

"You're feathers faded away. Does that mean I'm imagining them?" he wondered to himself, still cradling the large feather against his chest. She started in surprise - her feathers had faded away? Did that mean she would eventually fade away as well? She turned back to Sora only to see that he had drifted back to sleep. She smiled softly to herself, settling back down. A noise caught her attention, and she turned to see another movie playing out on the wall. It was like before; the three friends and Michiru, only it was later on in the evening.

After the three's conversation drew to a close, the three of them started to walk back to their boats. Michiru thought it was both interesting and funny that they would waste their times rowing out to the island. In their defense, however, they didn't have wings.

As the two boys were walking, Riku called for Sora's attention. Kairi didn't hear them, but Michiru did.

"Sora," Riku called. As Sora turned, Riku tossed him a yellow star shaped fruit. "You wanted one, didn't you?" he asked the younger boy. Sora stared at it with intensity.

"A Paopu fruit," he murmured.

"If two people share one, their destinies become intertwined," Riku explained to the younger boy as he walked past. "They'll remain part of each other's lives no matter what."

Michiru thought that the story was both sweet and strange. Why would a fruit connect two people together? And, exactly _how_ would it connect them? Was it like her being connected to Sora somehow?

Riku smirked at Sora, glancing down at Kairi. Michiru saw this and a frown instantly marred her mouth. Her face heated; she didn't like what Riku was suggesting.

"C'mon, I know you want to try it," Riku goaded. Sora flushed, first thinking of Kairi. Then, his thoughts turned to someone else - someone he had only met in a dream. He hesitated, but ultimately made his decision.

"What are you talking…" he trailed off, trying act like he didn't know what his friend was insinuating. Riku just laughed, and Sora threw the fruit over the bridge. They then ran back toward the boats to row back home.

The scene ended, but another one took its place. Michiru was puzzled; there had really been nothing of interest after that. At least, not that she knew of. Her eyebrows shot up in surprise when, instead of Sora's room appearing, a castle began to take shape. So far, she hadn't seen a castle on the island. Michiru assumed that it was very far away from Destiny Islands, since she hadn't seen it anywhere. It looked to be a bright and cheery place, and Michiru settled into a small show. It was something to do while she waited for Sora to finish sleeping.

The view zoomed in on a magician, whom she assumed to be the Royal Magician. They were in a castle, after all. He was wearing robes of bright blue, and he was heading towards a pair of large double doors. What amused Michiru was that the Royal Magician was a giant duck.

"Good morning, Your Majesty," the duck greeted, "It's nice to see you this morn- what?!" the duck gasped, looking around the room. Michiru assumed the King was supposed to be there, but the room was empty. There was nobody on the throne, and there was nobody in the Receiving Room. The duck stared at the empty throne for what seemed like forever, but, suddenly, a golden dog peeked out from behind it. The camera zoomed inward on the dog, letting Michiru see that he was wearing a collar with an identification tag. The dog held a letter in his mouth, and the winged girl could see that it was sealed with a face that held two, rather large, ears. The duck quickly read the letter, becoming more concerned as he read. Upon finishing the paper, he panicked, racing from the room with the letter still clutched in his hand.

The screen blacked out for a second, but it quickly resumed. The duck was no longer present, the video instead panning over a sleeping dog. It was unlike the golden one she had seen before, instead, looking more humanoid - like the duck. Yes, she thought it was strange, but she also wanted to see what would happen. The dog was dressed in a green turtleneck and a black vest, which had pockets, and he also wore a pair of tan pants. Brown steel-toed shoes were on his feet, and a black belt was cinched tightly around his waist. Perched upon his head was a corn-yellow hat, and goggles were wrapped around his forehead.

The humanoid dog was sleeping in a giant garden, filled with lush green grass and perfectly trimmed topiaries. The duck burst through a pair of doors in the corner of the garden, shouting at the dog.

"Wake up, Goofy!" the duck cried in alarm. "Wake up! This is serious."

The dog slept on.

The duck through his hand in the air, electric energy crackling around it. Michiru leaned forward. It had been quite a long time since she had seen this type of magic. Her people could learn it, but it was easier to use magic that came from within - to mold and shape the elements, not command them. The electric magic continued to crackle as it shot out and shocked the humanoid dog, causing him to jump and shout in alarm. He looked up, still a bit sleepy, and grinned when he saw the duck looking down at him.

"Hey there, Donald," the dog greeted with a wave. "G'mornin."

Donald, the duck, waved off Goofy's greeting.

"We've got a problem, Goofy." Donald huffed. "But don't tell anyone."

Goofy looked over the shorter figure's shoulder, focusing on two women who had approached them. One was a humanoid mouse dressed in a beautiful pink gown. A royal crown sat upon her head, and Michiru could only guess that she was, in fact, royalty. The lady beside her was a humanoid duck, like Donald. She wore a formal purple gown, and a small tiara sat delicately upon her brow. Her eyebrows were furrowed as she stared at Donald.

"Queen Minnie?" he addressed Donald before glancing back towards the Queen. The duck dressed in blue shook his head, thinking that Goofy was addressing him.

"Daisy?" Goofy questioned, nodding his head to the Lady.

"No, it's top secret!" Donald screeched, angry that Goofy wasn't addressing the situation like he had hoped.

"G'mornin, ladies," Goofy said over the duck's head. He waved at the Queen and her maid, surprising Donald. He whirled around, heart almost stopping in his chest. He tried to laugh off what he had just said, but the Queen was determined to know what he was hiding. She placed her hands on her hips, tilting her head to the side. When Michiru saw the scolding image on her face, she couldn't help but laugh. As the scene started to face, she felt herself become tired. She leaned back against the wall, thinking about everything she had seen. Why was she there? She had been connected to Sora, specifically, for a reason - she was determined to find out exactly what it was about the blue-eyed brunette that was so different from everyone else.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

* * *

The next morning was a beautiful one. The wind was lazy and gentle, and the air was clean and pristine. Sora had gotten up early, catching Michiru's attention. She looked away with a blush dusted across her face as he showered and got ready for the day. It wasn't until he heard the door close that she looked back up at him.

While he had been dressing, she had been busy inspecting his room again. The feathers she had given him had dissolved.

Sora knew that the feathers hadn't been a dream. They were real, tangible, and he could still feel the warmth from them coursing through his fingers. The palms of his hands still tingled from them. He wanted to see Michiru again, in person, instead of just dreaming about her. Although he knew, deep down, that she was real, there was no use worrying about her until he saw her again.

Michiru watched as he ate a bit of toast before heading down to the small boat that would take him to the island. She wasted no time in following him. As soon as she stepped outside the door, she spread her wings and took to the air. The flight following the boat was a short one, and she easily kept up with Sora as he reached the large island. She looked down at him, sadly thinking about her apparent disability. It would be nice if he could see her, and she wanted nothing more than to hold a conversation with him.

Sora docked his boat, making sure to tie the rope tightly before he jumped onto the pier. He walked around slowly, as if looking for something. His features drooped slightly, not finding what he was looking for. Instead of lingering, he approached a door built into the wall of the island. It was the same door that Kairi had been standing in front of the day before. He opened the door and hesitated, looking behind him. Michiru's heart stopped. For a second it looked like he was looking straight at her. After a moment of holding her breath, Sora shook his head and continued to the other side. Michiru didn't bother trying to catch the door. Instead, she unfurled her wings, and ascended over the island. She floated for a few moments before landing on the other side of a small canopy of trees. She heard Sora close the door, and turned, spotting Riku standing next to the brunette.

"Hey, Sora," Riku drawled. "Let's name the raft 'Highwind.'" he said. Sora thought about it for a moment, but ultimately shook his head.

"No," he replied. "I want to name the raft 'Excalibur.'"

A soft smile spread across Michiru's face. She liked the name Sora chose. Riku and Sora started to argue about naming the raft, but when Michiru grew tired her attention began to wander. It wasn't long before the subject of a race came into the debate. Just as the two boys began to kneel for the start of their race, Kairi appeared over the horizon. She hopped over the bridge, a scowl forming on her face as she realized what the boys were about to do.

"You guys at it again?" she sighed, flicking her eyes left to right in annoyance. Her agitation soon fell from her face, and a smile took its place. Michiru stood behind Kairi, interested in the race.

"Alright," Kairi said when she realized the boys weren't going to back down. "I'll be the judge. The usual rules apply. Take any route you want, and the first one to tag _that_ tree and make it back wins."

Sora and Riku nodded their heads, still in their kneeling positions. Michiru kneeled down next to Sora, wishing she could speak. She wanted nothing more than to tell him she was there, and that she was rooting for him.

"If I win, I'm Captain," Sora said, just before the race started. "And if you win…" he thought for a moment, trying to think of what Riku could have for a prize.

"I get to share the paopu with Kairi," the older boy quickly interjected, cutting off Sora's train of thought. Michiru sighed, shaking her head. It was just like she thought. The day before, she had suspected the silver haired boy had harbored feelings for Kairi, and how her suspicions had been confirmed.

"Huh?" Sora questioned, obviously startled and confused.

"Deal?" Riku demanded harshly, a slight blush dusting across his cheeks. "The winner gets to share a Paopu with Kairi."

Michiru frowned. Perhaps she had been wrong. Sora seemed like he was interested in Kairi, too, but he seemed to like her more as a friend. It was interesting, really - to see what kind of friendship the three had. It taught her a small lesson. She really shouldn't judge the people she met in such a short amount of time. She couldn't fault them, really. From the short amount of time she had been there, she had seen only two girls. The girl to boy ratio on the island was uneven, so it made sense that they would drift towards the same girl.

"Wait a minute," Sora protested, but Kairi had already started to talk.

"Okay," she called out. "On my count!" she raised her hand over her head. Michiru looked towards the goal, but found she couldn't really see it. To give her a better vantage point, she spread her wings and took to the sky once again. When she was content with her area of observation, she stopped her ascent. Instead, she looked around the island. A wide smile spread across her face as she watched the short race, spiraling in the sky like a hawk. She watched, letting out a loud snort when Sora fell into the water at the last minute. His accident let Riku win, but she couldn't tell if Sora was really upset or not.

The three friends basked in the sun for about an hour, letting Michiru take the time to explore the island. She liked the trees and the salty sea air on her face. She didn't like the salt sticking to her feathers, but she supposed it wasn't the worst thing that could happen. Her sometimes short attention span caused her to miss a bit of conversation between the three friends, but when she landed behind Sora, a small time later, she found Kairi giving him another list of items to find.

"Today, we collect provisions for our trip," she exclaimed with a smile. "Let's see, Sora, you're looking for one seagull egg, three mushrooms, two coconuts, three fish, and fill this up with drinking water - but not from the ocean." Michiru scoffed at the last comment she made. Did she think that Sora was too naïve to know that water from the ocean was filled with salt, and, therefore, not good for people to drink? The ruby haired girl held out an empty bottle to Sora, and he took it, a confused expression on his face. Michiru couldn't help but laugh.

"Bring everything back here. If you need any help, just ask," Kairi said, giving her friend a small smile. Sora nodded and walked away, scanning the area for mushrooms. He saw the boulder, walking up to it and biting his lip in concentration. Eventually, after a few moments, he shoved the boulder aside by using his shoulder. There was a small cave behind it, and, inside, was his first mushroom. He knew that they couldn't grow in the sandy areas of the island, but there was some shrubbery up the stairs to his left. Deciding to leave the boulder where he had pushed it, he ascended the stairs. Sora scanned the foliage for any sign of the small orange-brown mushrooms he was supposed to gather, plucking it from the greenery when it was spotted. When he was finished tucking it away, his ears perked up at the sound of rushing water.

Along the rock wall, a small waterfall fell, sending its music reverberating through the air. It caught Sora's attention, and he jumped down into the water, getting himself good and wet.

"Fresh water," he murmured to himself. Michiru landed in the water, surprised to feel the coolness of it. She wasn't getting wet from it, but she could still feel the coolness of the moisture on her skin. It felt good, after sitting in the warmth of the sun all day. She turned around, coming very close to Sora's face. A bright flush spread across her cheeks; she didn't realize she had been standing so close to him. Sora waded through the water, pulling himself up on the small landing in front of the door he had emerged from hours earlier. Michiru met him on the other side, scanning the horizon for anything on his list.

Sora thought for a minute, looking out over the ocean. He headed for the water, splashing around for a bit before he emerged with three fish. He looked around him again, shaking off the excess water before looking above him. He stepped back, seeming to see something on the top of one of the coconut trees. He sighed, wiping sea water from his face. It dripped from his hair as he climbed on top of the shack, not bothering to use the stairs that were inside. He used one of the skinnier trees to climb on top of the coconut tree, successfully gathering the seagull egg. From there, he gathered the required amount of coconuts. The last thing on the list was gathering the third mushroom.

The brunette scanned the horizon, squinting his eyes as he searched for a place for mushrooms to grow. His eyes landed on a small cave hiding in a small patch of green foliage, deciding that it was the best choice to start his search. He climbed down from the shed, crouching down as he crawled through the entrance of the cave. Michiru followed, observing everything from the rough rock wall to the grainy color of the rock itself. She was very curious about his world. She tucked her wings against her back as she followed Sora through the small opening. The cave was small - smaller than she first imagined it would be. Michiru kept her wings tucked tightly against her back, afraid of getting dirt on her delicate feathers if she brushed them against the walls. A cold chill passed down her spine, tickling her skin in its evil caress. She gazed around the cave, pausing at each small drawing to investigate. Soon, she lost sight of Sora, but the sound of scratching made her ears perk up. She continued to the furthest reaches of the cave, but stopped in shock and slight wonder at the sight before her. Sora was etching her face onto the cave of the wall, over where another girl's face was scratched. She assumed the other girl's face was Kairi's. She would admit that Sora wasn't the best artist, but she found it cute how he had drawn a pair of wings on either side of her face.

She sat down behind the brunette boy, enjoying the small smile on his face. It wasn't long, however, before she felt a shift in the aura of the cave. Sora must have felt it as well, as he quickly turned, placing an arm in front of himself as protection. A man in a dark, hooded cloak stood in the corner of the cave. Michiru was alarmed; how could he have gotten into the cave without passing by them?

"Who's there?" Sora stammered, eyes widening when he whirled around, coming face to face with the hooded stranger.

"I've come to see the door to this world," the stranger replied in a deep voice. It was a baritone, reverberating through the recesses of the cave.

"Huh?" Sora said, not understanding what the stranger meant.

"This world has been connected," the hooded figure continued, ignoring Sora's question.

"W-what are you talking about?" the boy questioned again. He still didn't understand what the hooded figure was saying.

"Tied to the darkness," the man droned, as if he wasn't seeing Sora. "Soon to be completely eclipsed."

It was then that Sora's adrenaline piqued. A surge of energy filled his body, and his courage rose. He confronted the stranger.

"Well, whoever you are, stop freaking me out like this." he threatened. A spark of energy passed through him, and he wondered if Michiru was with him. She, however, was standing protectively beside the boy, an arm out in front of her. She didn't know what she would be able to do in this form, but she was wasn't about to let Sora come to harm.

"Where did you come from?" Sora demanded again, shaking his fist at the hooded figure. He expected the hooded figure to ignore him again, but the taller man just turned to face Michiru. She was a little surprised, but she was ready. She splayed a hand in front of her, ready to call her weapon forward.

"Neither of you know of what lies beyond the door," the deep baritone echoed through the cave. Sora looked around for Michiru, but it soon the comment came crashing back to Sora. He gasped, eyes widening.

"So, you're from another world!" he exclaimed.

"There is so very much to learn," the figure droned. "You understand so little. You underestimate the purpose of your Guardian."

"Oh, yeah? Well, you'll see," Sora grumbled, "I'm gonna get out there and learn what's out there! And I'm going to help Michiru, too." Michriu winced at the comment. She didn't need the help; it was her destiny to help Sora with his.

"A meaningless effort," the figure scoffed. "One who knows nothing can understand nothing. Her purpose in the worlds is both one of light and darkness. She is a purity who repels the darkness."

Both Michiru and Sora looked to the door, each for a different purpose, but when they looked back he was gone. For a long time, he stared at t he door. He reached out, as if he were going to touch the slick wood, but thought better of it. Michiru let out a sigh of relief; she didn't know what would happen if he were to touch the door.

Since he had collected all of his provisions, he decided to head back to Kairi and go home for the night. He took his time heading back to the red-headed girl, mulling over everything he learned. The usual spark wasn't in his eyes as he thought about what the hooded figure said about the girl he so desperately wanted to meet again. Sora forced a smile when he reached Kairi, noticing the unfinished charm in her hands.

"What's that?" he asked, pointing to it.

"This?" Kairi asked. "I'm making a necklace of thalassa shells. In the old days, sailors always used thalassa shells; they were supposed to ensure a safe voyage." the girl explained with a gentle smile. Michiru's own small smile slowly fell into a frown. An empty feeling continued to grow inside of her, but she couldn't place what it was. She was snapped out of her thoughts when Sora handed over the provisions.

"Thanks, Sora," Kairi said with a laugh. Another strange feeling, one other than the emptiness, started to stir within Michiru's chest.

"I found something today, too. It's yours." Kairi handed Sora a Hi-Potion, flinching lightly as their hands brushed against each others. He smiled back at her, but had to cover his mouth as a yawn tried to escape.

"Tired?" Kairi asked. "Want to call it a day?"

Sora nodded, pausing once again as he became lost in his thoughts. Kairi was always a cheery person, but he couldn't help but wonder if Michiru was like that. He kept thinking about her, yearning to meet her in person. Ever since he had that dream of her, he was convinced she was real. Unless he was going crazy, those feathers were real. He had touched them, felt them, and felt their warmth and texture. How could they not be real. He was snapped out of his thoughts as Kairi touched his arm.

"Yeah, let's go home," he quietly said. Michiru watched, eyes tearing lightly as she followed the two across the beach. She wondered what they were thinking. She needed to know if Sora was thinking about her, or if he just thought she was a dream. She barely noticed when she pierced the palms of her hands with her fingernails, leaving small droplets of blood on the sand. Her blood wasn't the normal red shade one would expect from a human. Instead, it shimmered lightly, like someone had added a glittering light to it. It was hauntingly beautiful.

"Okay," Kairi said, "Tomorrow's the big day. We should rest up!" she exclaimed, pumping her fist into the air. They made their way to the docks, Kairi and Sora starting up a light conversation as they went. Michiru decided to hang back, a tear trailing down her face. She didn't know why her heart hurt so much right now, but it heart terribly. When they came to the end of the pier, the two came to a stop. Michiru hovered behind them, starting to feel like she was intruding on their intimate conversations.

"You know, Riku has changed," Kairi began.

"What do you mean?" Sora replied, cocking his head to the side. His confusion was evident in his bright blue eyes.

"Well," Kairi cut herself off, seeming to think better about what she was going to confess. Instead she jumped up, smiling.

"Sora, let's take the raft and go - just the two of us!" she exclaimed with a laugh. Her voice was full of excitement. Michiru watched intently. Although she sensed that dark times were soon to befall them, she had no idea what his future had in store. If Sora wanted to travel with Kairi, who was she to stop him?

"Huh?" Sora questioned, taken off guard. He had always thought the trip would include Riku. He hadn't expected the red head to suddenly come up with this other option. Kairi smiled at Sora for a few moments before she sighed.

"Just kidding," she said with a breathy laugh.

"What's gotten into you?" Sora asked, confusion lacing his voice. There was a touch of concern, but if Kairi noticed it, she didn't show it. "You're the one that's changed, Kairi."

"Maybe," she trailed off to look into the ocean. "You know, I was a little afraid at first, but now I'm ready."

For quite some time there was nothing but the comforting sound of the waves and the night insects looking for something to eat.

"No matter where I go or what I see, I know I can always come back here, right?" there was an unspoken uncertainty in her question; it was almost as if she knew something, and was trying to get Sora to reassure her that everything would be okay.

"Yeah, of course," Sora replied, narrowing his eyes.

"That's good," Kai responded. There was a sad undertone lacing her voice as she turned back to her friend to say, "Sora, don't ever change."

"Huh?" he questioned, looking back at her. Sora studied his friend's face for some sort of hidden clue, but he couldn't find anything. Kairi was staring off into the distance, calmly watching the sun setting.

"I just can't wait. Once we set sail, it'll be great," Kairi said. She stood, helping Sora stand as well. They walked slowly over to the boats and Michiru watched, half interested and half disgusted by their exchange. She didn't know where the latter emotion came from, but she supposed that somewhere, deep inside, she was jealous of Kairi. She watched the two of them make their way home in separate boats, but, instead of following Sora home like she wanted to do, she walked over to the pier the friends had been sitting on moments before.

Michiru knew that she and her people were born with a single purpose in mind. Yes, they procreated normally, like every other human, but they were special. They held a kind of light inside of them that made them perfect to protect others. It was a choice, however, that they made. It wasn't like they were forced into becoming Guardians. She had made this decision, along with her brother, so she couldn't really be angry with anyone but herself. Thinking of her brother brought a new wave of emotions into her core. Anger, devastation, longing, and sadness were just a few of them. She could feel the light inside of her wavering, but it wasn't due to these emotions she was feeling.

She had been growing weaker since the dream state Sora had been in. He was the one who held her key - she was sure of it, but he hadn't awakened his powers. The longer it took for him to wake his powers, the weaker she grew. Eventually, if he never awakened them, she would simply fade into the darkness. Her light would be snuffed, but, deep down inside, she knew Sora was meant for greater things.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Michiru gazed at the stars for quite a long time, thinking about everything that had happened to her. She missed her brother, longing for the times when she could ask for his advice. What was she to do about these feelings? How could she go on, always feeling like she was fading from existence? She knew one thing was for certain, though. Sora was an important part of her life, and if that meant he had feelings for Kairi, so be it. She would protect Kairi as well as Riku if things came down to it.

She stood, brushing herself off and flexing her wings. One of the good things about being in her current state was that the sand couldn't get lodged in between her feathers. She made to take off into the air, but stopped as her head started to swim. She shook it, trying to clear the spinning sensation, but it only got worse. The air around her became thick, suffocating her as she tried to calm her rapidly beating heart. It made her nauseated, but since she couldn't eat anything in this form, she couldn't be sick.

It was over almost as soon as it started. The world stopped spinning, but she was stuck in darkness. The darkness soon disappeared, and a room started to dissolve into place. She recognized the people standing in front of her as the Queen, Minnie, and the others from the movie that had played on the wall of Sora's room. They couldn't see her, or hear her, as she was stuck in the same kind of translucent state. Michiru approached the queen, leaning over her shoulder to read the letter the King had left behind.

"Donald,

Sorry to rush off without sayin' goodbye, but there's big trouble brewin'. Not sure why, but the stars have been blinkin' out, one by one. And that means disaster can't be far behind. I hate to leave you all, but I've gotta go check into it. There's someone with a 'key' - the key to our survival. So, I need you and Goofy to find him, and stick with him. Got it? Also, there's gonna be a girl with him - a Guardian Angel. We need to find that key or we're doomed. So, go to Traverse Town and find Leon. He'll point you in the right direction.

P.S - Would ya apologize to Minnie for me? Thanks, Pal."

Michiru couldn't help but gasp. How had the King known she was going to be with Sora? She shook her head, trying to clear it from her questions. There had to be a rational explanation. After all, Sora couldn't be the only key bearer in all of the worlds, can he? He couldn't be the one Mickey was talking about, could he?

"Oh, dear," the female duck, Daisy, exclaimed. Michiru was drawn from her thoughts as she noticed how worried Daisy was. The duck was pacing back and forth, heels clacking loudly on the marble floor.

"What could this mean?" she continued as she paced back and forth. Silence reigned supreme for a while, but it was the Queen's voice who broke the silence.

"It means we'll just have to trust the King," she said, heaving a sigh and directing her gaze downward. She missed her husband, but knew that she had to be strong in his absence.

"Gawrsh, I sure hope he's alright," Goofy said. His eyebrows furrowed, almost covered by the metal cap he was accustomed to wearing. He was saddened that he couldn't be with his close friend, but he knew that Mickey could take care of himself.

"Your Highness," Donald began, drawing the Queen's attention. "Don't worry. We'll find the King, and this 'key'." he continued, trying to console the worried monarch. She smiled gently back at him.

"Thank you," she said. "Both of you."

"Daisy, can you take care of…" Donald trailed off, unsure of how to word his thoughts. The purple clad duck knew him well, and she nodded.

"Of course," she said, sadness dwelling within her gaze. "You be careful now, both of you." A deep weight settled in her chest. She didn't want to spend any time away from Donald, but she knew that the safety of the worlds, and their inhabitants, came first. It would be selfish of her to think otherwise, but, with the sudden situation arising, she couldn't help but yearn for one last night together with her sweetheart.

"Oh," Minnie said, drawing heavy eyes to her once again. "And to chronicle your travels, he will accompany you." A small cricket had climbed up on the table, dressed in a worn travel suit, and had started to jump up and down.

"Over here," the cricket shouted. He stopped jumping after he successfully gained Donald's attention. "Cricket's the name. Jiminy Cricket, at your service." he completed with a bow, taking off his worn top hat and giving his audience a low bow.

"We hope for your safe return. Please, help the King," Minnie pleaded, trying to keep her composure. She desperately wanted the small party to find her husband and bring him back safe and unharmed. Donald nodded, agreeing to take the job. He looked at the small row that had assembled, grunting when he saw that Goofy was giving him a smart farewell salute. The Captain of the Guard didn't expect what would happen next.

"You're coming, too!" Donald hissed, pulling him away from the royal and the noble. Donald escorted his friend down a maze of hallways and down several flights of stairs. After a silent trek, Michiru following them all the way, they appeared in front of a large, open, set of double doors. It was then that they descended down another, steeper, flight of stairs.

"Gawrsh, Jiminy, your world disappeared, too?" Goofy asked, an innocent tinge to his otherwise oblivious voice.

"It was terrible," the cricket wailed. "We were scattered, and, as far as I can see, I'm the only one who made it to this castle."

They were silent for a few moments. Michiru's head and heart were both spinning. What did Jiminy mean when his world disappeared? How could a world disappear? Did something happen to it, or did it simply vanish? She had no idea, but a deep, dark feeling was building up in her chest.

"Goofy?" Donald was the one to break the silence this time. He threw a glance to the Knight as they travelled down the stairs.

"Oh, right," Goofy replied, guilt lacing his voice. "I gotcha. While we're in the other worlds, we can't let on where we're from. We've gotta protect the world border."

"Order," Donald absently corrected, as if he had been doing it for quite a long time.

"Right. World order," the knight responded, not missing a beat. As they proceeded to the room at the end of the staircase, Goofy looked down at their regal regalia.

"I guess we'll need new duds when we get there," he said to Donald, but the duck ignored him. Instead, Donald made his way towards a pipe that was sticking out from the wall.

Michiru couldn't help but become fascinated by the workings around her. She had never seen a world quite like this one before. She kept close to the knight and magician, afraid that if she didn't, she would disappear.

"Hello up there," Donald's voice broke her from her wandering. "Donald Duck to launch crew. Any time you're ready," he exclaimed. The noise in the launch bay was almost deafening, but Michiru had no problem hearing the duck. She wasn't so sure about the others, however, and she bit her lip, wondering if the launch crew was able to hear Donald over the noise. She supposed the launch crew understood what he was trying to say as the room started to rumble. The floor split, revealing an orange ship. It was a Gummi ship. Michiru followed the others to the ship, but a thin, reflective shield kept her from entering the door on the side. She frowned, wondering why she was unable to follow. She looked down at her hands, frowning as she appeared more translucent than before. She broke into a cold sweat as she suddenly felt dizzy. The room started to spin.

"Blast off!" she faintly heard. The room around her dissolved, and she heard whispered tainting her ears. Her chest felt heavy, as if the whispers were shadowing her heart. She closed her eyes, clutching at her head.

"Go away," she pleaded to the whispers. Her head started to feel as heavy as her chest, and she felt her eyes start to close involuntarily. Her last thought as she drifted into unconsciousness was Sora and his safety.

Meanwhile, back on Destiny Islands, Sora was lying in his bed. His thoughts had turned troubling, as he wondered about both Kairi and Michiru. He didn't know what to think about Kairi's flirting. She was pretty, and he liked her a lot, but he wasn't sure if he liked her in a romantic sense just yet. The flame was there, and it could grow into something more if it was kindled, but there was just something, or someone, holding him back. It was then that his thoughts turned solely to Michiru.

He was concerned about her and the fact he hadn't seen a feather or felt her presence in a while. He wondered if she had gone back to where she had come from, and the thought made his chest tighten. Suddenly, the thunder from a storm outside caught his attention. He jerked up into a sitting position.

"A storm?" he questioned. It had been sunny a few moments ago. "Oh, no! The raft!"

Sora made short work climbing out of his window, using the classic method of sheets tied his bedpost. He could think of nothing but the safety of the raft he and the others had worked so hard on. Sora rowed the small boat with all the strength his young arms could muster, gaping in surprise at the giant pulsing orb that hovered over his island. A shimmering form floated underneath the orb, a thin, silver outline obscuring it from view. He climbed from his boat, heart jumping in his throat when the silver outline disappeared, producing the unconscious form of Michiru.

The young brunette boy barely registered the fact that Riku and Kairi's boats were already docked at the pier. He grabbed his wooden sword from under his seat and jumped off the pier. He ran through the beach, shoes kicking up sand as he went. He made it halfway across the damp sand when he was suddenly surrounded by a hoard of strange black shadows. It was like they had formed from the very shadows surrounding him. He tried to fight, but his wooden sword failed to do any damage to his enemies. Ultimately, Sora turned and ran for the shack that was a few feet away from him. He climbed the steps, breath ragged, and burst through the opening at the top. He raced across the bridge, slowing and coming to a halt when he spotted his longtime friend standing underneath the winged girl from his dreams.

"What happened to Michiru?!" Sora panted, looking up at her. He stared at her for a few seconds, desperation spreading from his eyes to his face, before looking around for his other female friend.

"Where's Kairi? I thought she was with you." Sora tried to regain his breath, but it was a difficult endeavor after his encounter with the shadows.

"The door has opened," Riku replied. "and the power of the Guardian Angel has been awakened."

There was something wrong with Riku. Sora stared at his friend, noticing the way that his back was tensed.

"What?" Sora questioned, looking at the back of his best friend.

"The door has opened, Sora! Now we can go to the outside world," Riku responded, voice raising until it reached an almost hysterical level.

"What are you talking about? We've gotta find Kairi and we've gotta get Michiru down. She could be hurt." Sora exclaimed, jabbing a finger in the unconscious girl's direction

It was then that Riku snapped.

"Kairi's coming with us!" he exclaimed, clenching his fists. "I couldn't care less about that girl up there, but once we step through the door we might not be able to come back. We may never see out parents again; there's no turning back! But, this may be our only chance. We can't let fear stop us!"

Riku was becoming hysterical.

"I'm not afraid of the darkness!" his voice becoming a shriek instead of the soft murmur it once was.

"Riku!" Sora let out a cry as black shadows formed a circle underneath his friend. He tried to move forward, but another circle, made out of the same terrifying darkness, appeared below his feet. Riku turned, reaching out one hand to Sora. Slowly, the darkness engulfed both of the boys despite Sora's desperate struggle to reach his older friend.

He closed his eyes, heart crying out for help.

Then, Sora was engulfed in a purifying white light.

A mysterious voice whispered into his mind, but he couldn't make out what it was saying. He was too busy staring at the heavy key shaped sword that was now resting in his hand. He looked around for Riku, but his friend had disappeared into the shadows. He then looked upward, at the solidifying body of Michiru. She was floating downward, settling into Sora's outstretched arms as if she were made for them. He settled his left arm under her wings, and his right arm was underneath her knees. Her head lolled to the side, resting comfortably on his shoulder. Sora felt his face heat up, but a light surrounded his heart. It was like a weight that had been settled there over t he last few days had suddenly been lifted.

Sora slowly lowered the winged girl to the ground, mentally noting how light she was. He was unaware that another swarm of shadows was swelling behind him. Instead, he leaned forward, closing his eyes as he bowed his head over the winged girl. A tear formed in the corner of his eye, gradually trailing down his cheek and dripping from his chin to land on her forehead. The spot where it landed started to glow, and the teardrop disappeared into her skin. Soon, her whole body started to glow, and when the shadows leaped, her eyes snapped open.

Michiru swiftly pushed the surprised boy out of the way, biting her finger and using her blood to summon forth a beautiful staff.

"Ice Shards!" she exclaimed, and an icy wind swept passed the two. She twirled her staff, the snowy gem on top of her staff started to glow an icy blue, and, before long, long shards of pure ice were falling from the heavens. The shards of ice impaled the shadows, scaring off any who were trying to surround them.

"Michiru!" Sora exclaimed, stumbling to his feet as she stopped twirling her staff. She had successfully taken care of the shadows, but more would be coming. She turned, a soft smile spreading across her face as she opened her arms to embrace Sora. He wrapped his arms tightly around the girl, gently ruffling the feathers of her wings. He needed to reassure himself that this was real.

"You don't know how long I've wanted to do that," she laughed, hugging him back just as tightly.

"I think I do," he said, "I was worried about you. I thought I was going crazy." he pouted, pulling back and crossing his arms. She was about to reply, but the forming of shadows caught her attention instead. The ground shook, suddenly falling away. She grabbed Sora's wrist, keeping a tight hold on her staff as well. Soon, all that was left of Sora's home was a small floating island. His heart sank, but there was precious little time to worry about the others as a familiar black shadow pushed itself from the ground. A sense of déjà vu flooded both Michiru and Sora as they remembered their first fight with the behemoth shadow.

"Sora, are you ready?" she called, nodding to him as his sword appeared in his hand in a twisting flash of light. Sora lifted his blade as the giant shadow began to attack, fisting its mighty hand and punching his fist into the ground.

"Attack his wrists, and I'll attack his head," Michiru shouted over the rushing wind. He nodded, but before he could attack, she grabbed his wrist. She planted a small, innocent kiss on his cheek.

"Anima Shield," she whispered, and a feeling of warmth spread through his body. In the center of the warmth was the spot of her kiss. Unbeknownst to him, a small, intricate heart was glowing where she had kissed him. It glowed for a few seconds before being absorbed into his body.

"Be safe," were the only words he could utter before she launched herself into the air. She concentrated, morphing the end of her staff, where the crystal was glowing, into that of a glaive. The metal shone brightly, a thin, luminescent layer surrounding it. She slashed at his eyes, angering the shadow.

The battle lasted for a while, tiring out the pair. Sora couldn't understand how he wasn't being injured despite having a few close calls. He glanced up at Michiru, horrified to find small burns and cuts littering her skin. She was wounded, but a grim determination was set upon her face. His attention was brought back to the battle when the giant shadow roared in pain. It raised its hands into the air, as if it were going to launch an attack, but a sucking sensation tore through the air. A large orb formed above the small remnants of Destiny Island, pulling everything around them into it.

"Sora!" Michiru exclaimed, diving down to land next to the brunette. He ran forward, both their weapons disappearing in flashes of light as they grasped each others' hands.

"Michiru, don't let go," he ordered as they were both swept up into the circle. He looked at her face, heart wrenching as he saw the tears forming in her eyes.

"I'm glad you were the one with the key, Sora." he heard her shout through the wind. He just didn't know why his heart felt so heavy when she told him that.


End file.
